Plural-compartment vials and method of producing same



ec. no, 1951' w. WSW 2,815 1 PLURAb-COMPARTMENT ViALS AND METHOD'OF PRODUCING SAME Filed Feb. 9, 1954 INVENTOR (Imus-s GANasToR BY,- 7 i e ATT EYs" United States PatentO" PLURAL-COMPARTMENT VIALS AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Charles G. Anastor, Vineland, N. J., assignor to wens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application February 9, 1954, Serial No. 409,088

9 Claims. (Cl. 128-272) The present invention relates to plural-compartment vials and methods of producing the same.

Such vials ordinarily comprise an elongated tubular housing which is divided into two compartments and closed at the ends, all substantially in the fashion disclosed in Patent #2,6l0,628, issued September 16, 1952, to M. L. Lockhart. At least one end is closed by means of a readily puncturable resilient piston plug, inward movement of which creates suflicient hydraulic pressure to displace a central partition member permitting admixing of a medicament and a liquid vehicle, or solvent.

My invention pertains more specifically to the tubular housing and transverse partition structure and the novel method of producing the same.

An object of my invention is the provision of a tubular glass housing for plural-compartment vials in which the transverse partition is formed as an integral part of the housing, and the provision of a novel efficient method of producing same.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a plural-compartment vial incorporating my invention;

Figs. 2 to 5 are views, illustrating the successive steps involved in producing the vial:

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a length of glass tubing being heated medially to effect transverse severance and bottoming of the resultant two sections, the dotted lines representing one stage of construction of the tube preceding actual complete severance;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view of the severed bottomed sections showing the bulged ends which are to be welded together;

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevational view of the two bottomed sections, following the initial welding step; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but shows the tube distended radially'at the welded joint and the resultant reduction of the transverse partition thickness to such extent that pressure created by axial inward movement of one of a pair of closures will break the partition.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the completed vial as comprising a tubular glass housing 10 divided transversely by means of a partition 11, into two compartments 12, each having an openable outer end, closed by plugs 13. One of these closure plugs, generally referred to as a piston plug, is of cup-like formation and formed of readily puncturable rubber, or like material. A thrust member, or post 14, extends axially outward from this piston plug.

It is customary to place a medicament 15 in one of these compartments and a liquid vehicle or solvent 16 in the other compartment. When it is desired to admix the solvent and medicament preparatory to withdrawing a quan tity of same by means of and into a hypodermic syringe, the partition element is removed by forcing the piston plug axially inward so that hydraulic pressure displaces the partition. Ordinarily'this partition is a rubber disk, or some such element. 1

According to my invention however, this partition is a 2,815,755 Patented Dec. 10, 1957 'ice a length of glass tubing T of predetermined diameter and wall thickness and preferably with the ends suitably cut and finished. By means of a flame provided by burners 17, the tubing is severed transversely to produce two sections of equal, or different length, as may be desired. This flame severance of the tubing also effects bottoming of the two sections S such being common practice in the manufacture of glass vials.

Immediately upon severance and bottoming, superatmospheric pressure is created within each section S while heat is applied to the bottom portions 18. Thus, the bottom portions 18 are bulged axially slightly. This bulging is important in that it prevents the entrapment of air between these bottoms when they are sealed together later, to produce the partition 11. In producing such pressure a tapered resilient plug 19 is fitted into the open end of each bottomed section S, said plug having an air passageway 20 therethrough leading to a source of supply of air under pressure (not shown). While air under pressure is introduced into the tube sections S, the bottoms are softened to workable consistency by the application of heat thereto.

Following bulging of the bottoms and again in the presence of intense localized heat application, the bulged ends are brought together by axial movement of the tube sections S. This strengthens the bulged ends (Fig. 4) and effects a permanent sealing together of said ends whereby to produce the transverse partition 11. At this stage the partition is of too great thickness to be practical, in that it could not be easily broken by hydraulic pressure of such degree as normally could be created in the housing without disintegration of the vial itself. Accordingly, the partition is reduced in thickness and increased in surface area by heating the joined bottoms and the immediately adjacent side surfaces and simultaneously effecting limited relative axial reciprocation of the tube sections S. Thus, the softened glass is worked in the presence of internal air pressure and as a result, the glass partition spreads radially, reduces in thickness and enlarges in surface area. Such also results in radial distension, or bulging, of the glass at the partition, substantially as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, the partition dimensions become such that hydraulic pressure resulting from axial inward movement of the piston plug which carries the thrust post 14, may easily break said partition for the purposes stated heretofore.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A plural-compartment vial comprising a tubular glass housing, a frangible transverse partition formed integral with and of substantially less thickness than the wall of said housing and dividing the housing into two compartments, said partition being of greater diameter than the interior of the housing, a closure for one end of the housing and a piston plug closure for the other end of said housing, at least one of said closures being resilient and readily puncturable.

2. In a plural-compartment vial, a tubular glass housing, a frangible transverse partition of less thickness than the housing wall formed integral with said housing and dividing the latter into two compartments each having an open outer end, the Wall of said housing being distended radially at the periphery of and immediately adjacent both sides of the partition and the partition diameter exceeding that of the major part of the housing interior.

3. The method of producing a plural c'ompartrnent'ed vial housing which consists in effecting flame severance of a length of glass tubing into two tubular sections, bottoming the severed end of each section, reheating the bottom and adjacent side portions of each section, welding the bottoms of the sections together with the axes of the latter in alignment to form a transverse partition, again reheating and softening the welded area and concurrently therewith introducing air under pressure into both sections to radially distend the tubing at and immediately adjacent both sides of the point of welding to thereby reduce the thickness of the partition.

4. The method of producing a plural-compartmented vial housing which consists in effecting flame severance of a length of glass tubing into two tubular sections, bottoming the severed end of each section, reheating the bottom and adjacent side portions of each section, Welding the bottoms of the sections together with the axes of the latter in alignment to form a transverse partition, again reheating and softening the welded area and concurrently therewith introducing air under pressure into both sections and reciprocating the sections axially relative to each other to thereby radially distend the tubing at the weld and reduce the thickness of the partition.

5. The method of producing a plural-compartmented vial housing which consists in effecting flame severance of a length of glass tubing into two tubular sections, bottoming the severed end of each section, reheating the bottom and adjacent side portions of each section, elfecting axial outward bulging of the bottoms of said sections, welding the bottoms of the sections together with the axes of the latter in alignment and simultaneously flattening the bulged bottoms to thereby form a transverse partition from said bottoms, again reheating and softening the welded area and concurrently therewith introducing air under pressure into both sections to radially distend the tubing at and in proximity to the point of welding to thereby reduce the thickness of the partition.

6. The method of producing a plural-compartmented vial housing which consists in elfecting flame severance of a length of glass tubing into two'tubular sections, bottoming the severed end of each section, reheating the bottom and adjacent side portions of each section, effecting axial outward bulging of the bottoms of said sections, welding the bottoms of the sections together with the axes of the latter in alignment and simultaneously flattening the bulged bottoms to thereby form a transverse partition from said bottoms, again reheating and softening the welded area and concurrently therewith introducing air under pressure into both sections and reciprocating the sections axially relative to each other to thereby radially distend the tubing at and at each side of the weld to thereby reduce the thickness of the partition.

7. The method of producing a plural-compartmented vial housing which consists in efiec'ting transverse severance of a length of glass tubing into two tubular sections by means of a flame, bottoming the severed end of each tubular section, creating super-atmospheric pressure within the sections to thereby effect axial outward bulging of the bottom ends, reheating the bulged ends and bringing the latter together with the tube sections axially aligned to form a flattened transverse partition, creating superatmospheric pressure within the sections While continuing reheating of the closed ends and immediately adjacent side portions whereby to reduce the thickness and increase the surface area of said partition.

8.. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the tubular sections are reciprocated axially relative to each other during the welding of the bulged ends.

9. In a plural-compartment vial, a tubular glass housing formed from two lengths of tubing each having a bottomed end and an open end, a transverse partition dividing the housing into two compartments, said bottomed ends being heat-sealed together with the lengths of tubing in axial alignment to thereby form the transverse partition, said partition being reduced in thickness in relation to its thickness at the time of initial joining together of the lengths of tubing and increased in diameter beyond that of the housing by heating both the partition and immediately adjacent parts of the two lengths of tubing to the softening point and then locally distending the softened portions of the lengths of tubing and simultaneously enlarging the surface area of the partition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,674,927 Smith June 26, 1928 1,943,120 Kabnick Jan. 9, 1934 2,184,152 Saffir Dec. 19, 1939 2,209,739 Meyer July 30, 1940 2,491,848 Breadner et al. Dec. 20, 1949 2,565,061 Bednarz Aug. 21, 1951 

